Monthly Archives: August 2010

August 9, 2010 · 9:31 PM

Hoegarden – It’s A “Girls Only” Weekend Named For a Beer

The Hoegarden Crew

I know it sounds weird, but that’s exactly what it is – a weekend retreat named for a beer. Here’s how it all got started. Every year, my large extended family gathers at Thanksgiving. We actually call it Thanxmas, because we celebrate both Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time. We multi-task so we are free to spend Christmas week with our individual families or in-laws. Anyway, back in 2004, we were all being thankful in Sister #4’s back yard in Garland, Texas with our usual family tradition – one-handed croquet. Leave it to us to make croquet a drinking game, right? Rules require that you must have a drink in one hand at all times, and said drink glass must contain a beverage at all times or penalty shots will be incurred. To make a long story less painful, Big Sister #1 was penalized heavily that night, and her beverage at the time was Hoegaarden Beer. She was new to Hoegaarden, and let’s just say it hit her a little hard. Every time someone sent a croquet ball into vegetation, she would say in a slushy sing-song voice, “Welcome to the Hoegarden!” and giggle profusely.

Shortly after that we decided to hold an annual “girls only” estrogen festival, and Hoegarden emerged as front runner in the naming contest. We dreamed of weekend escapes that would include lots of giggly girly fun and one-handed croquet in a testosterone-free environment. We launched our first Hoegarden Weekend in March 2005, and have kept it going and growing since. Even though we limit it to female family members, that now includes eleven of us from four generations. Because of that, Big Sister #1 hosts each year. For one thing, her house is big enough to hold us all, and she lives near Dallas, which is geographically central for all of us (we’re spread out from Tulsa to Fort Smith to Houston to Austin). Her husband, Saint David, is kind enough to vacate (or escape) with their two sons while we party. We have encouraged the men to retaliate with a “Brogarden” weekend but so far, it’s a no-go.

Hoegarden is filled with food, crafts, spa treatments, food, chocolate, family favorites, more food, some alcohol, funny family photos, board games and food. We choose a different theme each year and plan meals, deocrations and craft ideas around that theme. Our first year was simply “Welcome to the Hoegarden” and we took the garden theme to the max. We each created custom flowered hats and flipflops to wear antique shopping on Saturday.

Hoegarden Hats

Hoegarden Flipflops

We have a lot of fun when we all go out shopping on Saturdays. We’re that large fun group that walks in a pack and can be heard laughing down the block. Larger shops love us. I think smaller antique shops full of old glass get a little nervous. We spend Saturday shopping and eating lunch out, then come home to make family favorites for dinner, share spa treatments and make-overs and play boardgames to disco music until late in the night. I’ll share more photos later from “Extreme Make-Over Night” if I can get signed waivers from the sisters involved (just kidding – about the waivers).

One year’s theme was “HoDown”, which was a hoot. Then there was “Ho Lotta Lovin” around a Valentine’s theme. This year’s theme was “HoDepot” complete with tool belt aprons. We always find a way to tie the theme into our Hoegarden roots. Next year’s theme is island/tropical. We’re calling it “Hawaii Five-Hos” in honor of the five sisters (see my ‘A Tale of Five Sisters’ tab for more). Can’t wait to see what that encompasses. I’m thinking I’ll make my Hanalei Sunrise muffins and work up a good Mai Tai recipe. I’ll also be shopping for luau decorations and some Don Ho music, or maybe soundtracks from “Blue Hawaii” with Elvis (or not). One thing we love in this family is a good creative challenge. I can’t wait to see what the sisters, nieces and grandbabies come up with next! Whatever it is, you can bet it will be tutu fun.

Hoegarden Tutus

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August 9, 2010 · 8:08 PM

Hanalei Sunrise Muffins

Hanalei Sunrise Muffins

Inspired by our summer vacation in Hanalei Bay, Kauai, these muffins take me back to those glorious mornings on the pier. My favorite flavors of the Hawaiian islands are included – coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts. These start with a mix, so they embrace that laid-back Hanalei attitude. Jonah Bear loves these!

2 pkgs Martha White Pound Cake Muffin Mix (7.4 ounces each)
1 cup evaporated milk (see notes)
1 can crushed pineapple (8 ounces), drained
2 pkgs macadamia nuts (2 ounces each)
1½ cups coconut flakes, sweetened
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 425F. Dump all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir only until dry ingredients are incorporated and no dry mix can be detected. Do not over mix muffins, or they will be chewy instead of light and fluffy. Divide batter into a greased or paper-lined muffin pan. I like to use an old fashioned ice cream scoop to get evenly-sized muffins. Bake 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven), until the muffins are golden brown on top, and a toothpick comes out clean. This makes 10-12 regular size muffins.

Note: In place of evaporated milk, you can use the juice off the crushed pineapple and enough milk to bring it to one cup. Or you can substitute almond milk or rice milk instead of evaporated milk.

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August 9, 2010 · 7:48 PM

Mom’s Creamy Beef Stroganoff

Mom’s Creamy Beef Stroganoff – still one of my favorite meals


My mom’s creamy beef stroganoff has been a family favorite for more than 40 years. It’s delicious, quick and simple to make, and so good you’ll find yourself eating it cold right out of the fridge. It has some of my favorite foods – steak, mushrooms, pasta and sour cream. Now you can make it, too!

12 ounces egg noodles, extra-wide
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup onion, minced
2 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1 pound sirloin steak, trimmed and thinly sliced
16 ounces sour cream (or lite sour cream)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pinch ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced

In a large saucepan, cook egg noodles until al dente. While the noodles are cooking, prepare your sauce ingredients. In a nonstick skillet over high heat, melt the butter; add onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add garlic salt and beef bouillon granules and stir to combine. Add thinly sliced steak and toss just until steak is still medium-rare (it will continue to cook in the sauce later).

In a bowl, combine sour cream, flour and nutmeg, stirring until well combined. Turn the heat under the skillet down to medium, and stir the sour cream mixture into the skillet until all ingredients are combined and the sauce is heated through; remove from heat. Don’t overcook here, or the beef will get rubbery and the sour cream will break down. Toss sauce into cooked, drained egg noodles and stir until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste (and more nutmeg if you’re a fan). Sprinkle parsley over the top and serve warm.

I like to serve this with warm, buttered deli rye bread and a nice green salad.

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August 9, 2010 · 3:17 PM

Jonah Bear and Lilly Bug

Jonah Bear

This is my little Jonah Bear. He is our first-born grandchild and a source of overwhelming joy. He is the funniest, smartest, cuddliest grandson on the face of the planet, bar none. He’ll be four in December, but he’s already a genius. He can do no wrong, is immensly entertaining, supremely affectionate, and all boy. As one of five sisters and the mother of a daughter, I had no prior experience with little boys. But I have a bad case of the boy bug now, and I can’t get enough. Jonah is a constant revelation. Boys are interesting creatures. They like to get dirty and do groadie things. They think a burping contest is the most hysterical thing ever, and burping the alphabet is a college application level skill set. They love bugs and pirates and matchbox cars and dinosaurs and pirates (lots of pirates). Little boys are awesome. They totally rock.

Lilly Bug

This is Lilly Bug. The baby. Our second grandchild, and a little girl who will take a back seat to no one. She will be one next month, and I find that impossible to believe. We were just in the hospital celebrating her birth a few weeks ago. I swear. I don’t know how the past year could have gone by so quickly. She’ll be in dance class and driving before we know it. Time seems to fly by faster now that she’s here. Lilly Bug is the world’s happiest baby. She wakes up with a smile and spends the entire day laughing and playing. She has her daddy wrapped around her little finger, and has since day one. She’s sweet, curious, laid back, and totally in love with her big brother. Jonah Bear is her idol, and she is his biggest fan. Together they are a force of nature, and I hope this never changes regardless of how fast they grow or how far they go.

Our daughter was an only child. A smart, sweet, funny, independant only child. We can’t thank her and her husband enough for not repeating that pattern. One is fun, but two…oh so much better. Thanks for bringing these beautiful sweet babies into our lives. You complete me.

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